


Optics

by grumpyphoenix



Series: Brain Salad [10]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Jealousy, M/M, Not Beta Read
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2018-07-13
Packaged: 2019-06-09 21:34:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15276648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grumpyphoenix/pseuds/grumpyphoenix
Summary: Steve has had enough of Tony touching that guy.





	Optics

**Author's Note:**

> Return to Brain Salad. I had a big project I had to work on, I had no time for the word-making. Prompt at the end.

Since the sky opened up, and giant armored alien turtles flew through New York, they’ve all been celebrities. I mean, sure, Steve and Tony were both already used to it, but everyone else froze like a deer in headlights. So Pepper took Steve and Tony and Thor and began some serious fundraising. 

The elite seem to love Tony and Thor. Steve, on the other hand, has a distinct ‘eat the rich’ mentality that never goes well with the kinds of people who could give that level of cash, so he tries to blend in. Wearing suits instead of his costume, he is pleasant and silent and bland in the background while Tony gladhands it, and Thor does stupid tricks with his hammer with a huge grin on his face. That’s where Bruce finds him at the biggest, most black tie event they’ve done yet. He’s standing next to a dumb ice fountain of himself, drinking champagne. Watching Tony.

“Hey, Steve! I’m glad to see you, this is something else, huh?” Bruce looks dapper and still somehow like a befuddled professor, polishing glasses that he then balances on the end of his nose.

Across the room, Tony laughs loudly at something some guy says. He’s elegant, this random guy, in a suit that could probably have bought a homeless family a car.

“Well, Tony’s suit is expensive too. For that matter, didn’t he buy yours?” Bruce snags a glass of champagne and some cheese from a passing waiter.

Steve glowers. He hadn’t meant to say that out loud, but Bruce is right. Tony had bought the suit for him, insisted that he bring Steve to his own tailor. His eyes close for a moment, remembering the comforting  _ oldness _ of the shop, dark wood smelling of decades of polish. The old man pinning while Tony touches him with deceptively light, fluttering touches.   _ Here  _ and  _ here _ , he’d say, directing the tailor. Steve had tried to stay still, but he just wanted to reach out and touch him back.

Tony touches the guy on the arm. Steve steps forward one step, and stops, sipping his champagne grimly.

“Steve, are you okay? You look…” Bruce is looking around now for a threat, nervous. When he doesn’t find one, he looks back at Steve.

“I’m fine.” Steve says shortly, eyes glued. He knows how he looks. Doing all that PR work has made him perfectly aware of how his face is arranged, but he can’t help it.

Bruce stares at him. Steve knows he should try to dial it down, but Bruce isn’t going to go green, and now Tony is  _ admiring this guy’s muscles. _ The touch on the arm has turned to mock surprise at the muscle straining underneath the excessive suit coat, and he vaguely hears Bruce’s sound of alarm as  Steve crushes the champagne glass in his hand.

“I’m fine,” he growls under his breath.

Bruce sidles away carefully, with a muttered “I’m getting Natasha”.

Steve moves. The news reels are full of heroics, his brave powering charges through enemy lines, with the subtlety of a truck, but the real truth is that he is perfectly capable of hunting someone carefully. He stalks Tony through the crowd as he walks with this asshat, watching him. If he touches that guy one more time…

The guy touches Tony instead, placing a hand in the small of his back as he introduces Tony to a crowd of glittering self made celebrities, and Steve has had enough.

“We can’t let you do that, Steve. Forget the disruption to the event, think about the optics.” It’s Coulson grabbing Steve’s arm, not Natasha, though he can sense her in the corner of his vision.

Steve whirls on him, and the look makes Coulson look nervous in that weirdly laid back way he has of processing danger. He also doesn’t unhand Steve. “You’re not in the outfit, so they might not know who you are immediately, but you represent  _ the country _ . You’re going to kiss Tony in public. In front of cameras. Think. Please think.”

Steve blinks. He has to admit he wasn’t sure what he was going to do once he got to Tony, but that does make sense. Leave it to Coulson to anticipate everything He looks into the agent's eyes.

“I think,” he says evenly, “That this country needs  _ the optics _ , agent Coulson. Move your hand, or I’ll move it for you.”

Behind Steve, Tony says, “Hey, guys. This looks like a fun party game, can anyone play?”

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Person A: *casually flirting with random person*
> 
> Person B: *passive-aggressively sipping on drink*
> 
> Person C: “Dude, you’re alright? There are some really dark vibes coming from you…”
> 
> Person B: *killing glance* “I am fine…”
> 
> Person A: *laughs and gets closer to random person*
> 
> Person B: *crushing glass* “I am fine…”
> 
> Person C: *nervously moves away*


End file.
